Most people in B.C. say landlords should be able to reject tenants with pets: poll

Pet owners don’t have many options when looking for a pet-friendly apartment, but most Canadians don’t think changes need to be made to help them out.

That’s according to a new poll released Thursday by the Angus Reid Institute. It suggests about two thirds of Canadians think landlords should be able to refuse to rent to pet owners.

Pet owners and activists in B.C. have asked the provincial government to force landlords to allow pets, what with the rental vacancy rate in major cities such as Vancouver, Kelowna and Victoria at record-breaking lows.

A petition calling for the removal of the no-pet policy in the in the Residential Tenancy Act has collected 10,000 signature.

According to the poll, almost 65 per cent of British Columbians – just slightly higher than the national average – believe landlords should be able to refuse to rent to pet owners.

Since 1990, the Ontario government is the only body in the country to have banned no-pets clauses in tenancy agreements. The poll suggests about 60 per cent of people living there think landlords should have the power to reject pet-owner tenants.

The BC SPCA has said about five pets are surrendered to the organization every day because of housing issues.